HTC Droid Incredible X vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 2

A short time ago, the specifications for a device known as the HTC DLX phablet leaked to the surface. If the specs are the real deal, the device, also known as the Droid Incredible X, HTC One X 5 or maybe even the Google Nexus 5 will be running some serious hardware that will make it a competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, another phablet that will be arriving in the United States shortly. Here, we take a look at how the rumored Droid Incredible X stacks up against the Galaxy Note 2.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will be launching in the U.S. on October 24th and it will likely be taking its 5.5-inch HD display, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system, quad-core processor, and 4G LTE speeds to the United States’ five major mobile carriers soon after, a list that includes AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon.

And while many consumers might be planning to pick up the Galaxy Note 2 when it arrives in the U.S., possibly on or around November 15th, the device might have some serious competition from the HTC Droid Incredible X, a device which goes by many names and packs a serious punch.

The Galaxy Note 2 will hit the U.S. in the fall.

The Droid Incredible X is also known as the HTC DLX, HTC One X and Google Nexus 5. And while it’s unclear if it will be a Nexus device, a certification has confirmed that it will be heading to Verizon at some point down the road. That means, that it will compete with the Verizon Galaxy Note 2 for the hearts and minds of customers. And on paper, it looks like consumers might have a tough time choosing.

Keep in mind, the Droid Incredible X features are rumors and nothing more at this point. However, the Football4PDA Twitter account that leaked the specifications has a fantastic track record and the leaked specs match up with previous rumors which is a sign that these probably are the real deal.

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So, with that in mind, here is how the Droid Incredible X will likely stack up against the Galaxy Note 2 when it arrives later this year.

Droid Incredible X vs. Galaxy Note 2

Release Date

Right now, it appears that both the Galaxy Note 2 and the Droid Incredible X could land in the United States sometime during the month of November.

The November release date for the Droid Incredible X comes from a leaked Verizon roadmap that indicated that the device would be amongst several set for launch on Verizon in November. No specific release date is known just yet.

The Galaxy Note 2 November release date comes from Samsung itself and from a press image from T-Mobile that has November 15th on the screen. Those dates are often real release dates or dates close to the actual one. Samsung said mid-November for the Galaxy Note 2 and thus far, there is nothing that says otherwise. We should know on the device’s launch date, October 24th.

If both are true, these devices could be pitted head-to-head against each other on Verizon’s massive 4G LTE network.

Display

One of the unique qualities of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is its 5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD display that will offer high quality video to go along with a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio that will but eliminate the black bars that often encompass content.

The Galaxy Note 2 display offers a 265 PPI pixel density which isn’t as high as a screen like the iPhone 5’s which offers 326 PPI, but thus far, it appears that those who have reviewed the device have been pleased with the quality of the display.

The Galaxy Note 2’s display is a massive 5.5-inches in size.

While not much is known about the specifics of the Droid Incredible X’s display, we do know that it will likely be 5-inches in size and that it will offer full HD quality. A 5-inch display is a bit smaller than the Galaxy Note 2’s massive 5.5-inch display and just a tad smaller than the original Galaxy Note’s 5.3-inch display.

The display that HTC put on the HTC One X was fantastic, some would argue it’s on par with the iPhone’s Retina Display, and it could be that it does something amazing with the display of the Droid Incredible X as well.

We found the 5-inch display of the LG Intuition difficult to use with one hand and the Galaxy Note 2’s massive screen will likely be more difficult. That’s something to keep in mind for those who like that as an option.

Specs

Obviously, the screens are going to be major selling points for both the Galaxy Note 2 and the Droid Incredible X, but that doesn’t mean the other specifications are slouching off. In fact, both devices sport some pretty powerful hardware.

Starting with the Galaxy Note 2, it features 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models with microSD card slot for expanded storage. That means that users can get up to 128GB of storage space on the phablet.

It also features a 1.6 GHz Exynos quad-core processor along with 2GB of RAM which will help make for a smooth overall Android experience, a rear 8 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash, a rear 1.9MP camera, Bluetooth v 4.0, NFC support for services like Google Wallet, and a massive 3,300 mAh battery that will help to mitigate the strain of both the user and 4G LTE data speeds.

The Galaxy Note 2 also employs an S-Pen stylus, which is new and improved this time around, and it lets Galaxy Note 2 owners not only write and draw on the screen, but it also has useful features like the ability to pull the S-Pen out of silo during to call to bring up the S-Note application which allows for note taking.

This apparently is the Droid Incredible X.

The Droid Incredible X matches up quite well on paper. Rumored specifications include a 16GB model at the very least, though, we imagine that HTC will deliver more storage options.

In addition, it’s said to have a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz which is another processor that will get the job done. It’s supposed to have 1.5GB of RAM though, a little less than the Galaxy Note 2. Also rumored are a 12MP rear camera – a higher megapixel count than the Note 2 though that doesn’t necessarily mean better pictures, and a 2MP front-facing camera, which again, is more than the Galaxy Note 2.

HTC did a good job with the cameras on the HTC One Series and it will hopefully use similar, if not better technology, with the Droid Incredible X.

The Droid Incredible X is rumored to have a 2,500 mAh battery which is smaller than the Galaxy Note 2’s battery. Considering the screen size difference, this may not end up being that big of a deal.

We aren’t sure about the Droid Incredible X’s compatibility with a stylus quite yet but considering the big screen, we wouldn’t be surprised to see one supported when it arrives.

Carriers

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has been confirmed for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon. In fact, U.S. Cellular is taking pre-orders for $299.99 on a new two year contract for the device right now. This means that those looking to get the Galaxy Note 2 will be able to pick and choose their carrier wisely and nowadays, with 4G LTE coverage and tons of differing data plans, that means a lot.

As for the Droid Incredible X, thus far, it looks like it will only be heading to Verizon’s network, which, isn’t such a bad thing considering it has the largest 4G LTE network in the land.

In fact, its network boasts over 300 markets. AT&T has close to 100 while Sprint is lagging behind with less than 50 at this point. So while the Droid Incredible X may be available on only one carrier, at least it’s the one with the most coverage.

Price

While the Galaxy Note 2 is official, official pricing is not yet known, expect for the U.S. Cellular version which is again priced at $299.99. We fully expect the other carriers to follow suit, this was the price that AT&T launched the original Galaxy Note for, and so consumers should expect the device to retail for that sum across the board.

This is a spot where HTC can be competitive. If it’s able to undercut the Galaxy Note 2 with price, it could certainly lure in some people who are looking for a phablet but don’t want to spend a ton of money.

No rumored pricing yet but it would be odd to see it priced over $300 and even odder to see HTC not try and undercut the Galaxy Note 2.

Software

Last but not least, a look at the software that powers the devices. The HTC Droid Incredible X will apparently be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean right out of the box. I

It also looks like it will be running Android 4.1.2, a version of Jelly Bean that was unleashed today for the first time. The software doesn’t bring too much different to the table, but it does improve upon Android 4.1 in that it fixes bugs and makes stability improvements.

In addition to Android 4.1.2, Jelly Bean features a number of useful features including Google Now which monitors searches and gives out useful information like sports scores and traffic updates, a better Browser, improved Google apps like Gmail, enhanced notifications and speed improvements to the user interface that make it far and away better than Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

We also imagine that HTC will put a version of its skin, HTC Sense, over the top of the device, though we don’t know exactly which version.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will also be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean of an unknown variety and it will be running the company’s TouchWiz skin over the top. One feature that may differ immensely from the software found on the Droid Incredible X is the ability to do split-screen multitasking with both Samsung apps and apps like Facebook and Twitter.

This allows Galaxy Note 2 users to use two apps at once, increasing productivity on a device that is already a productivity beast.

What happened to HTC anyway? A few years ago with the original EVO they were at the top of Android phones, and then they just lost it all to Samsung. I think it was that silly EVO 3D phone. HTC gambled on 3D, but it was obvious to all over 19-years-of-age that it was all a gimmick. This new HTC 5-inch sounds like it risk looking like another knockoff of the Note 2 similar to the LG Intuition.

If the droid “X” ends up being the nexus 5, I think it would be the better choice. Stock android is becoming more, and more important to me as ALL manufactures can’t seem to get the updates out in a timely fashion. Sometimes … not at all. Beast specs, big battery, and stock android … that’s all I’m looking for.